Let's Hope this Pest Doesn't Ruin Meat for You!

Here in New Jersey, we are pretty aware of the pests that can spoil a good grilling party. From flies that contaminate food to mosquitoes that bite, pests can create havoc! Now there is a new threat, and this pest doesn’t just stop one night of burger eating enjoyment, it could stop all your burger eating enjoyment for months or years to come. The pest in question is the lone star tick! 

You may have heard the news about a relatively new phenomenon where people, who have enjoyed steaks and burgers their whole lives, suddenly become allergic to red meat. This allergy to steaks, and other products made from mammals, is referred to as Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS). Scientist currently believe that the lone star tick is responsible for most of the AGS in our area, but other kinds of ticks have not been completely ruled out. Other tick species have been associated with the development of AGS in other countries. Ticks are able to trigger AGS by transmitting a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into a person’s body which makes them unable to properly digest meat and mammal products like gelatin and milk.

So what can a person do to help reduce the chance of getting AGS? Here are three precautions you should be taking.

1. First, when you go outdoors, try to avoid brush, woods and grassy areas. If you think you might be in areas like this the EPA suggests treating all your clothing and gear with permethrin or buy clothes that are pre-treated with a repellant. Wearing light colored clothing is also useful because it makes ticks easier to spot and remove.
2. Next, any time you come in from outside (even if you were just taking your dog for a walk around the block), check your clothes for ticks. You might find keeping a hand held mirror near your front door will help you check your back and other hard to see places. When you shower you should always perform a thorough tick check. Behind your ears, in your arm pits, and behind your knees are a few places that ticks seem to prefer.
3. Lastly, have your yard treated for ticks. You cannot control the tick population everywhere you go, but you can have a significant impact on the amount of ticks in your own yard. This is extremely important because although checking for ticks when you come home from a hike seems like second nature, checking yourself for ticks every time you go out to get the newspaper or walk in from your car seems unlikely to happen.